Tuesday, November 11, 2008

God Loves Movies

God Loves Movies. I know it. Certainly there are countless movies that God abhors because of the content. But He loves the medium and how it can awaken and enkindle so much within our spirit.

This is why sports movies are often so compelling and enjoyable. I love sports movies. Of course they can be cliche and sensationalized, but that's okay because it's part of the experience. Among the many great sports movies there's Major League, The Natural, Murderball, Chariots of Fire, Field of Dreams, The Rookie, Rudy, Rocky, Remember the Titans, A League of Their Own, Cinderella Man, Hoop Dreams, Team Hoyt on YouTube, Seabiscuit, Jerry Maguire and of course Hoosiers (the best sports movie of all time). Teen Wolf deserves an honorable mention because Michael J. Fox swishing the final free throw with no time remaining is close to a classic moment. When that movie came out, who didn't dream of being a werewolf and flying higher than Michael Jordan?

The common theme in all these films is the accomplishment of victory against a seemingly invincible opponent and insurmountable odds. That's why you never grow tired of watching Jimmy Chitwood sink the final field goal in Hoosiers. It's also why you feel like a million bucks after watching the US Olympic hockey team defeat the Soviets in Disney's Miracle. It causes our hearts and minds to look beyond what we can normally see to something far greater. It can be a fabulous inspiration.

Some might think that a film is something too flippant for God to really care about. I would disagree. Art has always been a powerful force to engage the soul and inspire the heart. Have you ever watched The Passion of the Christ? Think of the illiterate peasants in the 12th century who couldn't read the Bible, but they could see the amazing frescoes and stained glass adorning the churches of the time. God is the One who designed us to respond so viscerally to art, music and expression. There's a reason you want to vomit while watching the ignorance and violence of Schindler's List. Everyone I know cried when Ray Kinsella was finally able to reunite and reconcile with his long dead father at the end of Field of Dreams. It's how God created us. God is the original storyteller and moviemaker. Moses at the Red Sea anyone? Gideon anyone? David and Goliath anyone? There's not a more perfect movie script than the one found in 1 Samuel. It tells the story of the newly-anointed boy David killing the invincible giant Goliath, fleeing the insane and violent king Saul, hiding with his army among the enemies of Israel and overcoming unbelievable obstacles to become the greatest King of Israel. It was certainly messy, but it is an amazing story. God cares deeply about incredible stories of heroes and villains and faith and risk.

I'm anxiously waiting to see what movies we have awaiting us in heaven. Anxiously.

Does God reveal His mystery?

Here I'm trying to process some of the things of life. Some are important; some are less important. But God seems to be wrapped up in all of them.

WHAT IS THROCK MANASH?

Pronounced "Throck" (like sock) "Ma-nash" (like panache).

In 1997 I was a first year Seminary student, and I had been following Jesus for less than a year. One afternoon in my Hebrew class a word kept coming to my mind:

THROCK MANASH.

I wrote it down. For a week this word rattled around in my mind, not leaving me alone. I decided to ask my Hebrew professor if he knew this word or another like it. He said no. He encouraged me to pray about it's meaning because maybe God was showing something to me. He was open to such things. So I prayed for awhile, but I didn't get much clarity. Soon I concluded that the word had something to do with Jesus' suffering on His way to Glory. How did I come to that? I don't honestly know - it just felt right. That was almost 12 years ago, and it remains a mystery.